Caching OTA antenna installation data

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an over-the-air (OTA) antenna meter application (“meter app”) that wirelessly connects to an OTA antenna meter (“meter”) installed with an OTA antenna and presents information that facilitates a user in installing the OTA antenna at the premises of a customer. For example, the meter app can help the user in pointing and peaking the OTA antenna for one or more broadcast channels, e.g., those selected by the customer. The meter app can store installation information of the OTA antenna for various installations, which can be used in generating a recommendation of, or predicting, installation information for installing the OTA antenna at a specified address. The predicted installation information can include broadcast channels that would be available for reception at the specified address and their signal strength, a specific location of installation on the premises, or whether a pre-amplifier and/or filter is required.

BACKGROUND

Over-the-air (OTA) television is a term used to describe free to airtelevision signals that are broadcast by local television broadcasttowers (as opposed to a cable or satellite signal). An OTA antenna isused to receive OTA signals from such broadcast towers. Several factorsaffect the quality of reception such OTA signals by an OTA antennainstalled at a building, including a distance of the broadcast towerfrom the OTA antenna, the direction of the broadcast tower, the heightat which the OTA antenna is installed, the type of OTA antennainstalled, whether there is an Long term evolution (LTE) interference,whether a preamplifier is required, etc. It may be necessary todetermine the above factors for ensuring a good quality reception. Somecurrently available OTA meters that help an installation technician ininstalling an OTA antenna are not intuitive, and are cost-prohibitive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an environment in which the disclosedembodiments can be implemented.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating a server of FIG. 1 storinginstallation information associated with multiple installations of anOTA antenna, consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 2B is a block diagram for generating a location-based installationmap, consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for generating a recommendation ofinstallation information, consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 4A is a screenshot of a channel scan feature graphical userinterface (GUI) of a meter app, consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 4B is a screenshot of a mapping tool of the meter app, consistentwith various embodiments.

FIG. 4C is a screenshot of a channel peaking GUI of the meter app,consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 4D is a screenshot of a signal strength GUI of the meter app,consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 4E is a screenshot of an installation detail GUI of the meter app,consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the server of FIG. 1, consistent withvarious embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a client device of FIG. 1, consistent withvarious embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a process for managing installation of anOTA antenna using the meter app, consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a process for transmitting the installationinformation to the server of FIG. 1, consistent with variousembodiments.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a process for generating a location-basedinstallation map, consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a process for retrieving installationinformation of a specific location, consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a process for generating a recommendationfor installation for a specific location, consistent with variousembodiments.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a processing system that can implementoperations of the disclosed embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments are directed to an over-the-air (OTA) antenna meterapplication (“meter app”) that facilitates a user in installing an OTAantenna at the premises of a customer, such as a building. For example,the meter app can help the user in pointing and peaking the OTA antennafor one or more broadcast channels, e.g., those selected by thecustomer. The pointing and peaking includes determining a position ofthe OTA antenna, such as a height at which the OTA is to be installedand an orientation of the OTA antenna (e.g., in degrees with respect tomagnetic north), for obtaining the broadcast signals at a specifiedsignal quality. In another example, the meter app can store installationinformation of the OTA antenna for various installations, which can beused in generating a recommendation of, or predicting, installationinformation for installing the OTA antenna at a specified address. Thepredicted installation information can include a set of broadcastchannels that would be available for reception at the specified address,the signal quality of the set of broadcast channels, a specific locationon the premises at which the OTA antenna is to be installed, a type ofthe OTA antenna, whether a pre-amplifier and/or filter is required, etc.

Not only does the meter app help the user, e.g., an installationtechnician, in actual installation of the OTA antenna at a customer'spremises, the meter app also helps the installation technician inproviding enhanced customer service to the customer by setting thecustomer's expectation with respect to the list of broadcast channels tobe received, the quality of those broadcast channels, a list of theequipment that may be required, the installation cost, etc. prior toinstalling the OTA antenna at the customer's premises.

The meter app can be used with an OTA antenna meter (“meter”) that isinstalled with, or connected to, the OTA antenna. In some embodiments, ameter is a device which measures a signal quality or strength of asignal (e.g., for a broadcast channel) received by the OTA antenna. Themeter app can be executed on a client device, such as a smartphone. Insome embodiments, the meter and the meter app communicate wirelessly,e.g., via Bluetooth. The OTA meter provides various signal data such asradio frequencies of the broadcast channels and their signal strength tothe meter app.

Turning now to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an environment 100in which the disclosed embodiments can be implemented. The environment100 includes a client device 120 in which a meter app 145 is installed.The meter app 145 is a mobile app that can be downloaded to the clientdevice 120, e.g., from an app store hosted on a server device (notillustrated), and installed on the client device 120. However, in someembodiments, the meter app 145 can also be implemented as a website,which can be accessed using an application on the client device 120,such as a web browser. The client device 120 can be any of a variety ofcomputing devices, e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, asmartphone, a tablet PC, a wearable device, that is capable ofcommunicating with an OTA meter 115. In some embodiments, the OTA meter115 has a wireless communication interface, such as Bluetooth.Accordingly, the client device 120 and the OTA meter 115 may communicatewirelessly using Bluetooth. However, the wireless communication betweenthe client device 120 and the OTA meter 115 is not restricted toBluetooth, it can happen over other wireless communication protocols. Insome embodiments, the OTA meter 115 can also include a wiredcommunication interface, which enables communication with the clientdevice 120 over a wired means.

In the environment 100, the meter 115 is installed with the OTA antenna110, which is to be installed at a location, such as building 105. Themeter app 145 provides various information that helps a user 125, e.g.,installation technician, in installing the OTA antenna 110 at thebuilding 105. Upon connecting the client device 120 to the meter 115,e.g., wirelessly, the meter app 145 receives signal data from the meter115 and interprets the signal data to show a list of the broadcastchannels available for reception by the OTA antenna 110 and their signalstrength (also referred to as “signal quality”) in the meter app 145. Insome embodiments, the signal data includes a radio frequency of thesignal received for a broadcast channel and the signal strength. Thesignal strength of a broadcast channel can be measured as a function ofone or more signal metrics, including for example, a power,signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio, or a modulation error ratio (MER) of aradio signal of the corresponding broadcast channel. The meter app 145can display the signal strength in various forms, e.g., as numbers, orother graphical representations such as rectangular bars of varied colorbased on the signal strength (e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4C and4D). In some embodiments, a weak signal, e.g., a signal whose strengthis less than a specified threshold, may indicate that the OTA antenna110 is not positioned appropriately. The user 125 may try adjusting theposition of the OTA antenna 110, e.g., change the height and/or adirection of the OTA antenna 110, and determine if the signal strengthimproves by looking at the signal strength displayed in the meter app145, e.g., as the OTA antenna 110 is adjusted.

In some embodiments, the signal strength of a broadcast channel improveswhen the OTA antenna 110 is oriented in the direction of the broadcasttower of the broadcast channel. The meter app 145 includes a mappingtool (e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 4B) that displays on a geographicalmap, the location of the building 105 (e.g., based on address of thebuilding) and the location of the broadcast towers of various broadcastchannels. Additionally, the mapping tool may also display connectinglines between the broadcast towers and the address of the building 105and their directions, e.g., in terms of degrees from the address of thebuilding such as 65 degrees NE). The user 125 may refer to the mappingtool to peak the OTA antenna 110 for the broadcast channels. In someembodiments, antenna peaking refers to orienting a directional antennatoward the greatest radio signal amplitude (e.g., greatest signalstrength). The signal strength displayed in the meter app 145, which isreceived from the meter 115, may have changed in response to adjustingthe position of the OTA antenna 110, and if the revised signal strengthhas improved and/or exceeded the specified threshold (also referred toas “strong” signal), then it indicates the broadcast channel receptionis of an expected/desired quality.

The meter app 145 allows the user 125 to select a set of broadcastchannels, e.g., those that a customer is interested in watching, viewthe signal strength of the selected set of broadcast channels, view thelocation of the broadcast towers of the selected set of broadcastchannels in the mapping tool and to peak the OTA antenna for theselected set of broadcast channels accordingly. The mapping tool alsoallows the user 125 to determine which type an OTA antenna 110 may berequired to receive the selected set of broadcast channels. For example,some broadcast towers can be located within a 60-mile range from theaddress of the building 105 and some within a 35-mile range.Accordingly, the mapping tool can help the user 125 decide whether60-mile range OTA antenna is necessary, or a 35-mile range OTA antennawould be sufficient to receive the selected set of broadcast channels ata specified signal strength. In another example, the meter app 145 canalso help the user 125 in determining whether an indoor OTA antenna oran outdoor OTA antenna is suitable for the building 105. In cases wherethe building 105 is so far from broadcast towers that it is out of thereception range of an indoor OAT antenna, or in cases where there isinterference within the building 105, the meter app 145 can indicatethat the broadcast signal is weak, based on which the user 125 can tryinstalling an outdoor OTA antenna and check the signal reception. If thesignal is strong with the outdoor OTA antenna, then an outdoor OTAantenna is more suitable than the indoor OTA antenna.

In some embodiments, the meter app 145 also helps the user 125 indetermining whether an additional equipment such as a filter and/orpre-amplifier may have to be installed with the OTA antenna 110. Forexample, there may be interference from Long Term Evolution (LTE)signals near the building 105 due to which the broadcast channel signalmay still be weak (regardless of whether the OTA antenna 110 is peaked),or there may even be a channel loss. The user 125 can install an LTEfilter, which filters the LTE signals from the broadcast channel signal,may improve the signal strength of the broadcast channels. In anotherexample, the signal strength of the broadcast channels may still be weakregardless of whether the OTA antenna 110 is peaked and may improve uponinstalling a pre-amplifier with the OTA antenna 110. In someembodiments, the LTE filter may be integrated into the pre-amplifier.

As can be appreciated, the meter app 145 helps the user 125 indetermining one or more installation parameters for installing the OTAantenna 110 at the building 105. The user 125 can record theinstallation parameters as part of installation information 140 in themeter app 145. An installation parameter can include one or more of atype (e.g., indoor vs. outdoor) of the OTA antenna 110, an installationheight of the OTA antenna 110, a direction (e.g., in degrees withrespect to magnetic north) of the OTA antenna 110, a type of OTA adapter(e.g., Hauppage model vs. Lark/Dish Model), a picture of theinstallation of the OTA antenna 110, any additional equipment (e.g.,pre-amplifier, LTE filter) installed with the OTA antenna 110, or a setof broadcast channels received by the OTA antenna 110 and their signalstrengths. The meter app 145 can store the installation information 140in association with a workorder for a customer, which includes one ormore of a workorder identification (ID), name of the customer, contactinformation of the customer (e.g., telephone number and/or email ID),address of the building 105, requested broadcast channels, etc.

The meter app 145 can transmit the installation information 140 to aserver device (“server”) 150, which can store the installationinformation 140 in a storage system 135. In some embodiments, if theclient device 120 is “offline,” that is, does not have access to acommunication network 130, such as Internet or local area network (LAN),to connect with the server 150, the installation information 140 isstored locally in the client device 120, and is transmitted to theserver 150 when the client device 120 goes “online,” that is, can accessthe communication network 130 to connect with the server 150. Aftertransmitting the installation information 140 to the server 150, theinstallation information 140 may be deleted from the client device 120.However, in some embodiments, the installation information 140 may becontinued to be stored at the client device 120 event after it istransmitted to the server 150.

In some embodiments, the installation information, such as theinstallation information 140, submitted by one or more users can be usedin predicting or generating installation information for newinstallations of the OTA antennas, as described at least with referenceto FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram illustrating the server of FIG. 1 storinginstallation information associated with multiple installations of theOTA antenna, consistent with various embodiments. After installing anOTA antenna at the building, users can submit the installationinformation to the server 150. The example 200 illustrates the server150 receiving installation information 140 a, 140 b and 140 c associatedwith three different installations of an OTA antenna such as the OTAantenna 110. The three installations can be performed by the same useror different users at different buildings. The installation information140 a-140 c can be transmitted to the server 150 at different times orat the same time. In one example, the installation information 140 a istransmitted from a client device, such as the client device 120, as soonas the user inputs the installation information into the client deviceand submits the installation information 140 a for transmission to theserver 150. In another example, the client device can transmit theinstallation information 140 a to the server 150 when the client devicegoes online. In another example, the transmission of installationinformation to the server 150 can be scheduled. Further, theinstallation information 140 a-140 c can be transmitted to the server150 from the same client device, such as the client device 120, ordifferent client devices. The server 150 stores the installationinformation 140 a-c of different installations collectively asinstallation information 210 in the storage system 135.

FIG. 2B is a block diagram for generating a location-based installationmap, consistent with various embodiments. The example 205 illustratesthe server 150 generating a location-based installation map 215, whichstores a mapping of an address of installation of the OTA antenna andone or more installation parameters of the installation. In someembodiments, the location-based installation map 215 is used forgenerating recommendations of, or predicting, installation informationfor installing an OTA antenna, such as the OTA antenna 110, at a newaddress (e.g., an address of a building whose installation informationis not stored in the storage system 135).

The server 150 accesses the storage system 135 to retrieve theinstallation information 210. The installation information 210 can havemultiple installation records each of which corresponds to installationinformation associated with a particular installation. For eachinstallation record, the server 150 extracts (a) an address of thebuilding at which the installation is performed and (b) one or moreinstallation parameters associated with the installation, and stores amapping of the address and the one or more installation parameters inthe location-based installation map 215.

The user 125 can query the server 150 for installation information byproviding an address, or at least a portion thereof, of a building asquery input. When the server 150 receives a request from the clientdevice 120 for installation information at a particular address, theserver 150 performs a look-up in the location-based installation map 215using the address and retrieves the one or more installation parametersfor the matching address. The server 150 can then transmit the retrievedinstallation information, e.g., the one or more installation parameters,to the client device 120.

In some embodiments, the user 125 can specify only a portion of theaddress in the query input. For example, the user 125 can provide only astreet name, an intersection of two streets, a zip code, or even mark aportion on a geographical map in the meter app 145, as the locationinput for query. If there are multiple entries in the location-basedinstallation map 215 that match the location input in the query, theserver 150 returns multiple sets of installation parameterscorresponding to installations within a specified proximity of the queryinput location. For example, if the user 125 provided a street name,then the server 150 identifies all addresses in the location-basedinstallation map 215 that are on the street, or in a one-mile stretch onthe street, and retrieves the installation information for each of thoseinstallations.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for generating a recommendation ofinstallation information, consistent with various embodiments. In theexample 300, the server 150 can generate a location-specificinstallation recommendation 310 for installing an OTA antenna 325 (e.g.,similar to the OTA antenna 110), at a building 315 located in a specificlocation 320. The location-specific installation recommendation 310 caninclude one or more installation parameters, such as a type of the OTAantenna 325, an installation height of the OTA antenna 325, a directionof the OTA antenna 325, an exact location of the installation of the OTAantenna 325 in the building 315, a type of the OTA adapter, a picture ofthe installation of the OTA antenna 325, any additional equipment to beinstalled with the OTA antenna 325, or a set of broadcast channelsreceived by the OTA antenna 325 and their signal strengths.

The user 125 can use the meter app 145 to send a recommendation request305 to the server 150 for generating installation recommendation 310 forthe specific location 320. The user 125 can input the specific location320 in the form of an address of the building 315, which can be acomplete address (e.g., having at least a building number, street name,and zip code) or a portion thereof (e.g., street name, city and state,or zip code). The server 150 performs a look-up in the location-basedinstallation map 215 to identify all entries that have addresses thatare within a specified proximity, e.g., one mile or a couple of blocks,of the specific location 320, and retrieves the installation informationfor each of those addresses. The server 150 analyzes the retrievedinstallation information and generates the installation recommendation310 based on the analysis. The server 150 can use any number of methodsto perform the analysis, including artificial intelligence (AI), machinelearning (ML), rule-based analysis, or statistical analysis.

By analyzing the retrieved installations (e.g., the installationinformation of the retrieved addresses), the server 150 can determinethat the OTA antenna installed at the buildings in those addressesreceive a first set of broadcast channels. Accordingly, the server 150generates the installation recommendation 310 indicating that the OTAantenna 325 installed at the building 315 may receive the first set ofbroadcast channels. In some embodiments, the server 150 can also includea likelihood of the availability of the first set of broadcast channelsin the installation recommendation 310. For example, the more the numberof buildings in the analyzed data set receive a broadcast channel, thehigher the likelihood of availability of that broadcast channel forreception at the building 315.

Similarly, the server 150 can determine from the analyzed installationsthat the buildings in the analyzed installations receive a specifiedbroadcast channel at a specified signal strength. Accordingly, theserver 150 can indicate in the installation recommendation 310 that thebuilding 315 would likely receive the specified broadcast channel at thespecified signal strength. In some embodiments, the server 150 canindicate the predicted signal strength as a range of values, based onthe various signal strengths of the specified broadcast channel in theanalyzed installations.

In another example, the server 150 can determine from the analyzedinstallations that a specified broadcast channel is not available forreception at one or more of the buildings in the analyzed installations.Accordingly, the server 150 can indicate in the installationrecommendation 310 that the specified broadcast channel would likely benot available for reception at the building 315. In some embodiments,the server 150 can also include a likelihood of the availability orunavailability of the specified broadcast channel in the installationrecommendation 310, e.g., as described above.

In another example, the server 150 can determine from the analyzedinstallations that a specified broadcast channel is available forreception at one or more of the buildings in the analyzed installationsif a pre-amplifier is installed with the OTA antenna. Accordingly, theserver 150 can indicate in the installation recommendation 310 that thespecified broadcast channel would likely be available for reception atthe building 315 at a specified signal strength if a pre-amplifier isinstalled with the OTA antenna 325.

In another example, the server 150 can determine from the analyzedinstallations that a location of the one or more of the buildings in theanalyzed installations is prone to LTE interference. Accordingly, theserver 150 can indicate in the installation recommendation 310 that aspecified broadcast channel would likely be available for reception atthe building 315 at a specified signal strength if an LTE filter isinstalled with the OTA antenna 325.

In another example, the server 150 can determine from the analyzedinstallations that a location of the one or more of the buildings in theanalyzed installations is prone to multipath inflection or interference.In some embodiments, multipath Interference is caused by the signalbeing bounced around some surfaces such as wet or icy surfaces,buildings or a passing airplane, hilly terrains or trees. The analysismay also indicate that the multipath inflection can be prevented by (a)avoiding a set of locations in the building for the installation and/or(b) installing the OTA antenna in a particular location of the building.In some cases, moving the OTA antenna 110, e.g., a few feet, can helpalleviate the problem. If the problem persists, the OTA antenna 110 mayhave to be elevated, installed on the roof or mounted to a pole.Accordingly, the server 150 can indicate in the installationrecommendation 310 that a specified broadcast channel would likely beavailable for reception at the building 315 at a specified signalstrength if the OTA antenna 325 is installed at a specified location inthe building 315.

In another example, the server 150 can determine from the analyzedinstallations that (a) to receive a specified broadcast channel at oneor more of the buildings in the analyzed installations, (b) for certaintypes of buildings, or (c) buildings in a specified location, aspecified type of the OTA antenna is necessary. Accordingly, the server150 can indicate in the installation recommendation 310 that a specifiedtype of the OTA antenna 325 may be necessary for receiving a specifiedbroadcast channel at the building 315.

In another example, the server 150 can determine from the analyzedinstallations that an OTA antenna is to be installed at a specifiedlocation of the building, in a specified orientation and at a specifiedheight to receive a broadcast channel with a specified signal quality.Accordingly, the server 150 can indicate in the installationrecommendation 310 that the OTA antenna 325 is to be installed at aspecified location of the building 315, in a specified orientation andat a specified height to receive the broadcast channel with thespecified signal quality at the building 315.

The above are just a few examples of the installation parameterspredicted or recommended by the server 150. However, the server 150 isnot restricted to the above installation parameters and can predict orgenerate recommendation for more, less or different set of installationparameters. The installation recommendation 310 can aid the installationtechnician not only in installing the OTA antenna 325 at the building315 but also in setting the customer's expectation (e.g., with respectto the installation cost, expected broadcast channels and theirquality).

FIGS. 4A-4E are screenshots of various graphical user interfaces (GUIs)of the meter app of FIG. 1, consistent with various embodiments.

FIG. 4A is a screenshot of a channel scan feature GUI of the meter app145, consistent with various embodiments. The channel scan feature GUI405 allows a user, such as the user 125, to scan for one or morebroadcast channels available for reception by an OTA antenna installedat a building, such as the OTA antenna 110 at building 105. The clientdevice 120 receives signal data from the meter 115 and displays it inthe channel scan feature GUI 405. The signal data displayed in thechannel scan feature GUI 405 can include one or more of a radiofrequency in which a broadcast channel is transmitted, a virtual channelnumber of the broadcast channel, a station name of the broadcastchannel, a call sign of the station, or a signal strength of thebroadcast channel. The signal strength is measured as a function of oneor more of a power, SNR ratio, or MER of a radio signal of the broadcastchannel. Further, the signal strength can be displayed in variousformats, e.g., as numbers, or other graphical representations such asrectangular bars of varied color based on the signal strength. In thechannel scan feature GUI 405, the signal strength is displayed as powerand SNR values. Each of those two is displayed in the form of arectangular bar, which can be one of three colors indicating a specificsignal strength. For example, red color indicates a weak signal, yellowcolor indicates a good signal, and green color indicates a strongsignal. The user 125 can select one or more of the broadcast channelsfrom the channel scan feature GUI 405 to view further details. In someembodiments, the channels be pre-selected by the meter app 145, e.g.,based on user selection information recorded in a workorder associatedwith the installation.

In some embodiments, an OTA antenna installation may be associated witha workorder, which is created by the server 150, or even the clientdevice 120, in response to receiving an installation request from acustomer, e.g., a resident of the building 105. The workorder caninclude a workorder identification (ID), customer details, and detailsof the user 125. The customer details can include one or more of acustomer name, address of the installation (e.g., address of thebuilding 105), customer contact information, requested broadcastchannels, or requested installation date and time. The user details caninclude one or more of an installation technician ID or name, a pictureof the technician or contact details. The meter app 145 can display atleast some of the workorder details, e.g., a workorder ID and customername as illustrated in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4B is a screenshot of a mapping tool of the meter app 145,consistent with various embodiments. The mapping tool 410 displays alocation of a broadcast tower of the broadcast channel selected in thechannel scan feature GUI 405 in a geographical map. The mapping tool 410also displays a location of the building 105 in the geographical map(e.g., based on the address of the building 105). In some embodiments,the mapping tool 410 also displays connecting lines between the locationof the broadcast tower and the location of the building 105 to depict adirection of the broadcast tower from the building 105, which can aidthe user 125 in orienting the OTA antenna 110 towards the broadcasttower.

FIG. 4C is a screenshot of a channel peaking GUI 415 of the meter app145, consistent with various embodiments. The channel peaking GUI 415displays signal data of the broadcast channels selected in the channelscan feature GUI 405. The user 125 may further select a broadcastchannel from the channel peaking GUI 415 to view the signal data, suchas the signal strength, of the selected broadcast channel, e.g., asdisplayed in the signal strength GUI 420 of FIG. 4D. The user 125 maynavigate to the channel peaking GUI 415 to view only the user selectedbroadcast channels, which can be the broadcast channels that a customeris interested in receiving, and focus on peaking the OTA antenna 110 forthe selected broadcast channels.

FIG. 4D is a screenshot of a signal strength GUI 420 of the meter app145, consistent with various embodiments. The signal strength GUI 420shows two different parameters that are indicative of the signalstrength of the broadcast channel the user selects from the channelpeaking GUI 415. The signal strength GUI 420 shows a first bar 421 thatis indicative of power of the signal and a second bar 422 that isindicative of the SNR of the signal of the corresponding broadcastchannel. In some embodiments, the user 125 can select one or more of apower, SNR ratio, or MER values to be displayed as the signal strengthin meter app 145.

FIG. 4E is a screenshot of an installation detail GUI 425 of the meterapp 145, consistent with various embodiments. The installation detailGUI 425 allows the user 125 to input installation information in themeter app 145. The installation information can include one or moreinstallation parameters such as the ones mentioned above at least withrespect to FIG. 1. The installation detail GUI 425 allows the user 125input to installation parameters such as installation picture 427,installation location or a type 428 of the OTA antenna 110, installationheight 429 and an orientation 430 of the OTA antenna 110. One or more ofthe above parameters can be optional. The meter power indicator 426indicates a battery level of the meter 115. In some embodiments, if thebattery level drops below a specified threshold, the meter app 145 shalldisplay a notification indicating the same.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the server of FIG. 1, consistent withvarious embodiments. The server 150 includes a data transceivercomponent 505, a location-based installation map component 510 and arecommendation component 515. The data transceiver component 505 canreceive data from and transmit data to a client device, such as theclient device 120. The location-based installation map component 510 cananalyze installation information of various installations and generate alocation-based installation map, such as the location-based installationmap 215. The recommendation component 515 can predict installationinformation or generate a recommendation of the installationinformation, such as installation recommendation 310, for installing anOTA antenna at a specified location based on the installationinformation of OTA antennas at addresses within a specified proximity ofthe specified location.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the client device of FIG. 1, consistentwith various embodiments. The client device 120 includes a communicationmanagement component 605, a GUI management component 610, a channelmanagement component 615, and an installation information managementcomponent 620. In some embodiments, a functionality of the meter app 145is defined by the above components. The communication managementcomponent 605 can communicate with the meter 115 to establish aconnection, e.g., wireless, between the client device 120 and the meter115. The GUI management component 610 can generate various GUIs of themeter app 145, such as the ones in FIGS. 4A-4E. The channel managementcomponent 615 can determine the signal strength of the broadcastchannels received by the OTA antenna 110, based on the signal datareceived from the meter. The installation information managementcomponent 620 allows the user 125 to submit installation information tothe meter app 145.

Additional details with respect to the components of the server 150 andthe client device 120 are described at least with reference to FIGS.7-13 below. Note that the server 150 illustrated in FIG. 5 is notrestricted to having the above described components. The server 150 caninclude lesser number of components, e.g., functionalities of twocomponents can be combined into one component, or can include morenumber of components, e.g., components that perform otherfunctionalities. In some embodiments, the functionalities of one or moreof the above components can be split into two or more components.Furthermore, the components of the server 150 can be implemented at asingle computing device or distributed across multiple computingdevices. Similarly, the client device illustrated in FIG. 6 is notrestricted to having the above described components. The client device120 can include lesser number of components, e.g., functionalities oftwo components can be combined into one component, or can include morenumber of components, e.g., components that perform otherfunctionalities. In some embodiments, the functionalities of one or moreof the above components of the client device 120 can be split into twoor more components.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a process 700 for managing installation ofan OTA antenna using a meter app, consistent with various embodiments.In some embodiments, the process 700 can be implemented in theenvironment 100. At block 705, the communication management component605 establishes a connection, e.g., a wireless connection via Bluetooth,between the meter 115 and the client device 120.

At block 710, the channel management component 615 receives signal datafrom the meter 115. As described at least with reference to FIG. 1, thesignal data can include one or more of a RF of a broadcast channel,signal strength of the broadcast channel, a virtual channel number ofthe broadcast channel, or a station name of the broadcast channel.

At block 715, the GUI management component 610 generates a GUI, such asthe channel scan feature GUI 405, displaying the broadcast channelsreceived by the OTA antenna 110 and their signal strength, based on thesignal data.

At block 720, the channel management component 615 receives a userselection of a set of broadcast channels, for example, as illustrated atleast with reference to FIG. 4A.

At block 725, the channel management component 615 determines that asignal for one or more of the selected broadcast channels is weak, thatis, the signal strength is below a specified threshold. In someembodiments, a signal received by the OTA antenna is weak due toimproper positioning of the OTA antenna. Accordingly, a weak signal canindicate to the user 125 to adjust a position of the OTA antenna 110. Insome embodiments, adjusting the position of the OTA antenna 110 can beone of many indicators for improving the signal reception (othersinclude, for example, adding a pre-amplifier, an LTE filter, etc.). Insome embodiments, adjusting the position of the OTA antenna 110 caninclude any of changing a location of the OTA antenna in the building105, changing an orientation of the OTA antenna 110, changing aninstallation height of the OTA antenna 110. Accordingly, the user 125can reposition the OTA antenna 110 based on the signal strengthdisplayed by the meter app 145.

At block 730, the user 125 adjusts the position of the OTA antenna 110.In some embodiments, the user 125 may refer to the mapping tool, e.g.,illustrated in FIG. 4B, to adjust the orientation of the OTA antenna 110in the direction of one or more broadcast towers that broadcast the userselected broadcast channels.

At block 735, the channel management component 615 receives a revisedsignal strength of the one or more broadcast channels from the meter 115in response to adjusting the position of the OTA antenna 110.

At determination block 740, the channel management component 615determines whether the revised signal strength is above the specifiedthreshold.

Responsive to a determination that the revised signal strength is stillweak, the user 125 can continue to adjust the position of the OTAantenna 110.

On the other hand, responsive to a determination that the revised signalis not weak any more, that is, the signal strength is above thespecified threshold, at block 745, the installation informationmanagement component 620 stores the installation information associatedwith the OTA antenna 110, such as the installation information 140, inthe meter app 145 on the client device 120. As described at least withreference to FIG. 4E, the user 125 can input the installationinformation in the meter app 145 using the installation detail GUI 425.Some of the installation information may be provided by the meter app145 and some may be input by the user 125. For example, the address ofthe building 105 may be provided by the meter app 145, which can beretrieved from a workorder associated with the installation.

At block 750, the communication management component 605 transmits theinstallation information to the server 150.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a process 800 for transmitting theinstallation information to the server of FIG. 1, consistent withvarious embodiments. In some embodiments, the process 800 can beimplemented in the environment 100 of FIG. 1 and as part of block 750 ofFIG. 7. At block 805, the communication management component 605confirms that the client device 120 is online. For example, the clientdevice 120 is online if it is connected to the communication network 130and the server 150 is accessible by the client device 120. If the clientdevice 120 is offline, that is, the client device 120 is not connectedto the communication network 130 or the server 150 is not accessible,then the client device 120 is offline. If the client device 120 isoffline, the installation information stored in the meter app 145, e.g.,as described at least with reference to block 740 of FIG. 7, is put in amemory queue at the client device 120 for synchronization with theserver 150.

At block 810, the communication management component 605 transmits theinstallation information 140 to the server 150, which stores theinstallation information 140 at the storage system 135.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of a process 900 for generating alocation-based installation map, consistent with various embodiments. Insome embodiments, the process 900 can be implemented in the environment100 of FIG. 1. At block 905, the data transceiver component 505 accessesinstallation records from the storage system 135. The installationrecords contain installation information of multiple installations of anOTA antenna, and each installation record can have installationinformation, such as the installation information 140, of thecorresponding installation.

At block 910, the location-based installation map component 510 extractsan address of the installation, e.g., an address of a building where theOTA antenna is installed, and one or more installation parameters fromeach installation record. The installation parameters can include one ormore of a type of the OTA antenna 325, an installation height of the OTAantenna 325, a direction of the OTA antenna 325, an exact location ofthe installation of the OTA antenna 325 in the building 315, a type ofthe OTA adapter, a picture of the installation of the OTA antenna 325,any additional equipment to be installed with the OTA antenna 325, or aset of broadcast channels received by the OTA antenna 325 and theirsignal strengths.

At block 915, the location-based installation map component 510generates a location-based installation map, such as location-basedinstallation map 215, having a mapping of the installation parametersand the address of the installation for each of the installations. Insome embodiments, each entry in the location-based installation map 215corresponds to one installation of an OTA antenna. In some embodiments,the location-based installation map 215 can used for retrieving theinstallation parameters of an OTA antenna installation for a specificaddress, e.g., as described at least with respect to FIGS. 2A and 2B,and FIG. 10 below. In some embodiments, the location-based installationmap 215 can also be used in generating a location-specific installationrecommendation for installing an OTA antenna in a specific location,e.g., as described at least with reference to FIG. 3 above, and FIG. 10below.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a process 1000 for retrieving installationinformation of a specific location, consistent with various embodiments.In some embodiments, the process 1000 can be implemented in theenvironment 100 of FIG. 1. At block 1005, the data transceiver component505 receives a request for installation information associated with aninstallation of an OTA antenna, such as the OTA antenna 110, at aspecific location. The request can be issued by the client device 120.The request can include an address of the specific location, e.g.,address of the building 105.

At block 1010, the location-based installation map component 510performs a look-up in the location-based installation map 215 using thespecified location to identify an entry matching the specific location.

At block 1015, the location-based installation map component 510retrieves the installation parameters from the identified entry.

At block 1020, the location-based installation map component 510transmits the installation parameters to the client device 120. Theclient device 120 can present the installation parameters in one of theGUIs in the meter app 145.

In some embodiments, the request for installation information caninclude only a portion of the address as the specific location. Forexample, the user 125 can provide only a street name, an intersection oftwo streets, a zip code, or even mark a portion on a geographical map inthe meter app 145, as the location input for query. If there aremultiple entries in the location-based installation map 215 that matchthe specific location input in the query, the server 150 returnsmultiple sets of installation parameters corresponding to multipleinstallations within a specified proximity of the query input location,e.g., as described at least with reference to FIG. 2B.

At block 1025, the location-based installation map component 510displays the installation parameters in the meter app 145. In someembodiments, the meter app 145 can display the installation parametersfor the specified location using a location-based installationinformation tool, such as the mapping tool 410 of FIG. 4B. Thelocation-based installation information tool generates a geographicalmap in the meter app 145 and the user 125 can input the specificlocation by inputting an address in the geographical map, pointing aspecific location in the geographical map, or marking a specific area onthe geographical map (which can be a particular street, a set ofstreets, a set of blocks, a city etc.). The location-based installationinformation tool can then show the installations in the specificlocation on the geographical map, e.g., by displaying markers ataddresses of the installations, and the user 125 can view installationparameters of a specific installation by selecting that specificinstallation on the geographical map. In some embodiments, thelocation-based installation information tool can also display theinstallation information as a list of installations without thegeographical map.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a process 1100 for generating arecommendation for installation for a specific location, consistent withvarious embodiments. In some embodiments, the process 1100 can beimplemented in the environment 100 of FIG. 1. At block 1105, the datatransceiver component 505 receives a request for generating arecommendation of installation information for installing an OTA antennaat a building. The request can be issued by the client device 120 forinstalling the OTA antenna 325 at the building 315 and in the specificlocation 320. The specific location 320 can be provided as an address ofthe building 315.

At block 1110, the location-based installation map component 510performs a look-up in the location-based installation map 215 using thespecific location 320 to identify entries having addresses that arewithin a specified proximity of the building 315.

At block 1115, the location-based installation map component 510retrieves a set of installation parameters from each of the identifiedentries.

At block 1120, the location-based installation map component 510analyzes the installation parameters of the multiple installations togenerate a recommendation of the installation information, such as thelocation-specific installation recommendation 310, for the specificlocation 320. Various examples of the analysis performed are describedat least with reference to FIG. 3. The location-specific installationrecommendation 310 can include one or more installation parameters, suchas a type of the OTA antenna 325 to be installed at the building 315, aninstallation height of the OTA antenna 325, a direction of the OTAantenna 325, an exact location of the installation of the OTA antenna325 in the building 315, a type of the OTA adapter, a picture of theinstallation of the OTA antenna 325, any additional equipment to beinstalled with the OTA antenna 325, or a set of broadcast channelsreceived by the OTA antenna 325 and their signal strengths.

At block 1125, the data transceiver component 505 transmits thelocation-specific installation recommendation 310 to the client device120, which a user 125 can use for installing the OTA antenna 325 at thebuilding 315.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a computer system as may be used toimplement features of the disclosed embodiments. The computer system1200 may be used to implement any of the entities, components orservices depicted in the examples of the foregoing figures (and anyother components described in this specification). The computer system1200 may include one or more central processing units (“processors”)1205, memory 1210, input/output devices 1225 (e.g., keyboard andpointing devices, display devices), storage devices 1220 (e.g., diskdrives), and network adapters 1230 (e.g., network interfaces) that areconnected to an interconnect 1215. The interconnect 1215 is illustratedas an abstraction that represents any one or more separate physicalbuses, point to point connections, or both connected by appropriatebridges, adapters, or controllers. The interconnect 1215, therefore, mayinclude, for example, a system bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect(PCI) bus or PCI-Express bus, a HyperTransport or industry standardarchitecture (ISA) bus, a small computer system interface (SCSI) bus, auniversal serial bus (USB), IIC (I2C) bus, or an Institute of Electricaland Electronics Components (IEEE) standard 1394 bus, also called“Firewire”.

The memory 1210 and storage devices 1220 are computer-readable storagemedia that may store instructions that implement at least portions ofthe described embodiments. In addition, the data structures and messagestructures may be stored or transmitted via a data transmission medium,such as a signal on a communications link. Various communications linksmay be used, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide areanetwork, or a point-to-point dial-up connection. Thus, computer readablemedia can include computer-readable storage media (e.g.,“non-transitory” media) and computer-readable transmission media.

The instructions stored in memory 1210 can be implemented as softwareand/or firmware to program the processor(s) 1205 to carry out actionsdescribed above. In some embodiments, such software or firmware may beinitially provided to the computer system 1200 by downloading it from aremote system through the computer system 1200 (e.g., via networkadapter 1230).

The embodiments introduced herein can be implemented by, for example,programmable circuitry (e.g., one or more microprocessors) programmedwith software and/or firmware, or entirely in special-purpose hardwired(non-programmable) circuitry, or in a combination of such forms.Special-purpose hardwired circuitry may be in the form of, for example,one or more ASICs, PLDs, FPGAs, etc.

Remarks

The above description and drawings are illustrative and are not to beconstrued as limiting. Numerous specific details are described toprovide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, in someinstances, well-known details are not described in order to avoidobscuring the description. Further, various modifications may be madewithout deviating from the scope of the embodiments. Accordingly, theembodiments are not limited except as by the appended claims.

Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment”means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic describedin connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodimentof the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” invarious places in the specification are not necessarily all referring tothe same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodimentsmutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features aredescribed which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others.Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirementsfor some embodiments but not for other embodiments.

The terms used in this specification generally have their ordinarymeanings in the art, within the context of the disclosure, and in thespecific context where each term is used. Terms that are used todescribe the disclosure are discussed below, or elsewhere in thespecification, to provide additional guidance to the practitionerregarding the description of the disclosure. For convenience, some termsmay be highlighted, for example using italics and/or quotation marks.The use of highlighting has no influence on the scope and meaning of aterm; the scope and meaning of a term is the same, in the same context,whether or not it is highlighted. It will be appreciated that the samething can be said in more than one way. One will recognize that “memory”is one form of a “storage” and that the terms may on occasion be usedinterchangeably.

Consequently, alternative language and synonyms may be used for any oneor more of the terms discussed herein, nor is any special significanceto be placed upon whether or not a term is elaborated or discussedherein. Synonyms for some terms are provided. A recital of one or moresynonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examplesanywhere in this specification including examples of any term discussedherein is illustrative only, and is not intended to further limit thescope and meaning of the disclosure or of any exemplified term.Likewise, the disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given inthis specification.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the logic illustrated ineach of the flow diagrams discussed above, may be altered in variousways. For example, the order of the logic may be rearranged, substepsmay be performed in parallel, illustrated logic may be omitted; otherlogic may be included, etc.

Without intent to further limit the scope of the disclosure, examples ofinstruments, apparatus, methods and their related results according tothe embodiments of the present disclosure are given below. Note thattitles or subtitles may be used in the examples for convenience of areader, which in no way should limit the scope of the disclosure. Unlessotherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein havethe same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in theart to which this disclosure pertains. In the case of conflict, thepresent document, including definitions will control.

We claim:
 1. A method, comprising: accessing, by a server device, multiple installation records, wherein each installation record includes installation information of an over-the-air (OTA) antenna at a location; from each installation record, extracting, by the server device, an address of the location and multiple installation parameters associated with the OTA antenna installed at the location; generating, by the server device, a location-based installation map, wherein the location-based installation map stores, for each address of multiple addresses from the installation records, the installation parameters associated with the OTA antenna installed at the location; and generating a recommendation of installation information for installing a first OTA antenna at a first location, including determining that a specified broadcast channel is available for reception at a specified signal strength.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the location-based installation map includes: storing one or more of a type of the OTA antenna, a type of the OTA adapter, installation location of the OTA antenna at the location, installation height of the OTA antenna, an orientation of the OTA antenna, or a picture of installation of the OTA antenna, as part of the installation parameters.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the location-based installation map includes: storing a set of broadcast channels received by the OTA antenna and signal metrics of each broadcast channel as part of the installation parameters.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein storing the signal metrics includes: storing at least one of signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio values, modulation error ratio (MER) values, or a power level that is indicative of the signal strength and quality of each broadcast channel.
 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, at the server device and from a client device associated with a user, a request for installation information associated with a specified location; performing, by the server device, a look-up in the location-based installation map for the specified location to identify an entry matching the specified location; retrieving, by the server device, the installation parameters from the identified entry; and transmitting, by the server device, the installation parameters to the client device.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the specified location is one of a specified address of a specified building, a street name, an area within a specified proximity from the specified location, or an area marked on a geographical map.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein retrieving the installation parameters includes: determining that the look-up identifies multiple entries in the location-based installation map for the specified location, and retrieving multiple sets of installation parameters corresponding to the multiple entries, wherein each set of installation parameters corresponds to installation parameters associated with a specified antenna installed at a specified address associated with the corresponding entry.
 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, at the server device, a request for generating the recommendation of installation information for installing a first OTA antenna at the first location, the request including an address of the first location; retrieving, using the address of the first location and from the location-based installation map, a set of installation parameters associated with each of those locations that are within a specified proximity of the first location; and analyzing, by the server device, the sets of installation parameters to generate the recommendation.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the sets of installation parameters includes: determining that a first set of broadcast channels is available for reception at the first location.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the sets of installation parameters includes: determining that a specified broadcast channel is not available for reception at the first location.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the sets of installation parameters includes: determining that the specified broadcast channel is available for reception at the specified signal strength if a pre-amplifier is installed with the first OTA antenna.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the sets of installation parameters includes: determining that the first location is prone to LTE interference, and determining that the specified broadcast channel is available for reception at the specified signal strength if an LTE filter is installed with the first OTA antenna.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the sets of installation parameters includes: determining that the first location is prone to multipath inflection, and determining that the specified broadcast channel is available for reception at the specified signal strength if the first OTA antenna is installed at a specified position at the first location.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the sets of installation parameters includes: determining that a specified type of the first OTA antenna is required to receive a first set of broadcast channels at the first location.
 15. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the sets of installation parameters includes: determining that the first OTA antenna is to be installed at a specified position at the location, in a specified orientation and at a specified height to receive a first set of broadcast channels with a specified signal strength at the first building.
 16. The method of claim 1 further comprising: transmitting the recommendation to a client device associated with a user for use in installing the first OTA antenna.
 17. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, by the server device and from the client device, installation information associated with installation of a first OTA antenna at the first location; and storing, by the server device, the installation information at a storage system associated with the server device.
 18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions, comprising: instructions for receiving a request for generating a recommendation of installation information for installing a first OTA antenna at a first location, the request including at least a portion of an address of the first location; instructions for retrieving, using the address of the first location, a set of installation parameters associated with an OTA antenna installed at each of those locations that are within a specified proximity of the first location, wherein the sets of installation parameters are retrieved from a location-based installation map accessible by a server device, wherein the location-based installation map stores, for each of a plurality of installations, a mapping of an address of a location at which the OTA antenna is installed and the set of installation parameters associated with the OTA antenna; instructions for analyzing the sets of installation parameters to generate the recommendation, including instructions for determining, based on the sets of installation parameters, that a specified broadcast channel is available for reception at the first location at a specified signal strength; and instructions for transmitting the recommendation to a client device associated with a user for use in installing the first OTA antenna at the first location.
 19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for analyzing the sets of installation parameters include: instructions for determining, based on the sets of installation parameters, that a first set of broadcast channels is available for reception at the first location.
 20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for analyzing the sets of installation parameters include: instructions for determining, based on the sets of installation parameters, that a specified broadcast channel is not available for reception at the first location.
 21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for analyzing the sets of installation parameters include: instructions for determining that the specified broadcast channel is available for reception at the specified signal strength if a pre-amplifier is installed with the first OTA antenna.
 22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for analyzing the sets of installation parameters include: instructions for determining that the first location is prone to LTE interference, and instructions for determining that the specified broadcast channel is available for reception at the specified signal strength if an LTE filter is installed with the first OTA antenna.
 23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions for analyzing the sets of installation parameters include: instructions for determining that the first location is prone to multipath inflection, and instructions for determining that the specified broadcast channel is available for reception at the specified signal strength if the first OTA antenna is installed at a specified position at the first location.
 24. A system, comprising: a first component configured to: access multiple installation records, wherein each installation record includes installation information of an over-the-air (OTA) antenna at a location, and from each installation record, extract an address of the location and multiple installation parameters associated with the OTA antenna installed at the location; and a second component configured to generate a location-based installation map, wherein the location-based installation map stores, for each address of multiple addresses from the installation records, the installation parameters associated with the OTA antenna installed at the location; and a third component configured to generate a recommendation of installation information for installing a first OTA antenna at a first location having a first address, including determining that a specified broadcast channel is available for reception at a specified signal strength, wherein the third component is configured to generate the recommendation by analyzing a set of installation parameters associated with each of those locations that are within a specified proximity of the first location, the set of installation parameters retrieved from the location-based installation map. 